P&G places greater focus on packaging and announces a ‘design thinking’ approach

Buy is a critical stage of the path to advocacy. This is when the consumer is in-store selecting which brand they want to buy – or the consumers' ‘first moment of truth, as P&G calls it.

There is an interesting article in AdAge in which P&G has announced that all marketing ideas now have to show they work at the shelf.

This is smart.

Packaging is one of the most influential touchpoints. Moreover, Nielson Bases research for P&G revealed that it is a key driver of awareness.

That is why P&G are putting design thinking at the centre of their multi-functional brand-building teams.

The challenges they face are known by all brand organisations:

• Big retailers are restricting use of displays and point-of-purchase advertising.
• Retailers and consumers are also pressuring brands to make their packages smaller and thereby more sustainable.

This means the role of the package is much more important so BIGGER ideas are critical - because when retailers see big ideas they tend to give brands more space.

P&G have asked their communications agencies to vet ideas first in store, because that often can be the most challenging environment to communicate an idea.

My advice is to follow this approach, but also make sure your packaging is informative and consistent with what the brand is all about.

Oh yes, and one last thing....don’t change it too often.